Incyte Corp., Wilmington, announced more successful results from two ongoing clinical trials of Jakafi for the treatment of patients with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis, a bone marrow disease. Jakafi is the company’s first successful commercial drug.
In a three-year follow-up analysis of the Phase III COMFORT-II study, treatment with Jakafi, which is marketed as Jakavi by Novartis outside the United States, was associated with improved overall survival and sustained reductions in spleen size compared to best available therapy.
Jakafi stabilized or reversed fibrosis of the bone marrow in 56 percent and 22 percent, respectively, of patients with MF, a magnitude of an effect not seen historically with best available therapy.
“Results of these studies represent the continuing evolution in our understanding of the clinical benefits of Jakafi for patients with intermediate or high-risk myelofibrosis and further support my confidence that long-term treatment with Jakafi may modify this progressive and life-threatening blood cancer,” said Srdan Verstovsek, professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
